More than just climate: socio-economic determinants of cold houses

Abstract

While climate is an important factor in the problem of cold housing, the high prevalence of indoor cold across Australia’s largely mild climates suggests that social and economic processes may present far more of a challenge for households in accessing good quality, warm housing. This paper will apply a ‘risk perspective’ to the problem of cold housing, arguing that rapid changes to the traditional role of housing as a welfare safety-net has pushed some households into circumstances where they do not have the legal, financial, or personal capacity to improve their housing conditions and keep warm in winter. The paper will begin with a review of the international literature on indoor cold and its causes, with a particular focus on housing and financial markets comparable to Australia’s. Using longitudinal household panel data, the Housing, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey dataset, the paper will present an examination of cold-affected households, their socio-demographic and housing characteristics, and how the nature of this problem has changed over the last decade in comparison to changing economic performance, policy settings, and climatic extremes. The paper will conclude with a reflection on means by which social welfare and housing policy might develop and target solutions to address people’s cold housing.